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Event Information

Date and Time

Location

Description

House of the Commons is a three day event organised by architecture and design collective, Transition by Design, in collaboration with citizens, activists and housing professionals concerned with the UK housing crisis, specifically focusing on Oxford, but with a UK outlook.

There will be an exciting line-up of speakers, workshops and skill-shares examining the current context and drivers of the crisis with the aim to explore creative alternatives to these problems.

Join us in this participatory event with activitsts, academics, filmmakers and more. We have great speakers such as Danny Dorling from Oxford University, Sara Mahmoud from Shelter, Aysen Dennis from Aylsebury Tenants and Leaseholders First and many more exciting contributors! We'll also have hands-on practical workshops on solar systems and natural building materials!

The event and sessions are open to all people wanting to find out more about our current housing situation and where we could go next, so come and be part of the discussions.

Tickets will include a delicious lunch each day, with teas, coffees and cakes during the break sessions! Bursaries are available if you're not able to buy a ticket, just get in touch with us via nadhira@transitionbydesign.org . We'd love for everyone to be able to join us.

There will be a free kids space with our volunteers running activities, but please let us know so we can plan the sessions according to numbers.

Day 1: Friday, 21st October

Location: Cowley Road Methodist Church

Programme:

Beth Stratford: Why building houses won’t solve the housing crisis…. Beth will map the various drivers of the housing crisis, with visual props, facts and figures – and a focus on the widely neglected demand-side problems, like speculation and excessive mortgage credit.

Alice Belotti: So where does that leave us? - Estate regeneration and impacts on communities.

Alastair Parvin: Housing without Debt - breaking the traditional supply myths, and how we might use digital technology and new commons to scale alternative modes of housing delivery and build a new housing economy.

14:15-15:45 - How can we build effective links and solidarity across borders? with Dr. Barbara Harrell-Bond, Emerita Professor and Founder at Refugees Study Centre and discussions with Oxford City of Sanctuary, Asylum Welcome, Refugee Resource and Close Campsfield.

15:45-16:00 - BREAK

16:00-17:00 - Oxford Housing Crisis Summit. How can housing providers and citizens work more effectively together?

A panel summary session with representatives from each earlier session and Frances Evans, Housing and Property, Oxford City Council

14:15-15:30 - Relationship between land and money with Josh Ryan-Collins, Danny Dorling and Mary Robertson.

Josh Ryan-Collins (New Economics Foundation): Where does money come from? - The function of money in society and how land is being used by the rich to deepen inequality

Danny Dorling: Inequality and the housing crisis - connecting the global situation to where we can act today

Mary Robertson: An alternative mactoeconomic response - how we might invest in a more equal society through a focus on building programmes rather than demand-side solutions.

15:45-16:00 - BREAK

16:00-17:00 - Land for What? - a participatory session on the history of land in Britain and the future for land-based solutions with Land for What, Shared Assets, Ubele, Community Food Growers Network, Radical Housing Network and Land Workers Alliance.

Practical green building workshop:

11:00-17:00 - Hands on building with Hempen - learn to build your own hempcrete blocks with Joe McGahan and friendsfrom Hempen, with locally grown hemp from their farm near Reading. Get messy and learn how hemp can be used to create one of the lowest impact building materials!

END. Join us for an evening of spoken words, music and political commentary, including some surprise contributors. Deatils and tickets available HERE.